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Empathy must be cultivated

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E MPATHY does not develop in a person naturally; rather, it needs to be cultivated, as per Steven Pinker in his book "The Better Angels of Our Nature". Empathy must not be confused with sympathy. One can be sympathetic to people in challenging situations like physically challenged people who beg for money or elderly homeless people or those living in slums, etc. Empathy is an altogether different emotion or act. One of my friends in Cuttack distributes chocolates and storybooks to children living in a slum near his place, feeding stray dogs daily with biscuits bought from a local paan shop, as exemplified by the Principal of Biju Patnaik Institute of Information Technology and Management, (BIITM), Bhubaneswar , Dr. Mihir Ranjan Nayak or another friend of mine who has taken a stray dog as a pet instead of a specific expensive breed in Bangalore. These can be considered acts of empathy. There are numerous examples I have come across. There is a Bhubaneswar-based NGO th...
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Management Education in Odisha under BPUT

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In management education under BPUT, Odisha, merit is mangled!

The maximum number of Private & Government MBA colleges are affiliated with Biju Patnaik University of Technology (BPUT), Odisha.

BPUT, Odisha a state university has under its umbrella more than 200 Engineering colleges, Management colleges, Pharmacy colleges, etc.

Private Management colleges have mushroomed all over Bhubaneswar, which has earned the sobriquet of an education hub in eastern India.

After graduation from any of the myriad disciplines, students take an entrance exam, Odisha Joint Entrance Exam (OJEE) for admission into BPUT-affiliated private MBA colleges or MBA Colleges. OJEE exams are hardly in the same league as CAT, XAT, GMAT, etc.

For admission to an MBA College under BPUT system, other than the OJEE exam rank for students there are no other filtering criteria for admissions like group discussions and personal interviews, which is the norm in top MBA Colleges like IIMs, XLRI, FMS, IIFT, SP Jain, etc.

Since the cost of an MBA programme is capped under BPUT policy, no MBA College can charge more than the fee norms dictated by BPUT, which is 1/10th of the cost of an MBA from IIMs or other private MBA Colleges of acclaim.

On getting an OJEE rank, students compete for admission to educational institutions, looking exclusively at the twin attributes:

  1. Total Tuition Fees (Similar across the spectrum of MBA Colleges under BPUT)
  2. Placement record of the MBA College (Varies across MBA Colleges)

Since the scope of increasing course fees is non-existent, most MBA Colleges under the BPUT system tend to admit the maximum number of students {without attaching significance to past performance on some key metrics like scholarly achievements, beyond classroom activities, communication skills, etc.} to make tidy profits.

These MBA Colleges' pay structure is not at par with AICTE norms. Faculty are paid half the salary compared to government or top MBA Colleges in the country.

Since placements are the holy grail, these MBA colleges provide minimal focus on academics and are irrationally high on the final placements of the students. Academics are done routinely. Students are lucky if the faculty is competent and motivated to maintain high standards despite poor pay and perks.

The evaluation practice for the students in their internal tests is to ensure that 100% of students pass. Teachers give liberal marks to students so that no student fails. Failing in a subject means repeating a full year and washing hands off placements.

There is little scope for promoting academic excellence and enhancing students' problem-solving capabilities.

Classes are held from 9.30 am to 5 pm, with a break for lunch. This hardly gives any time for students to confer and discuss in small groups and develop soft skills. The intelligent students will excel due to their self-motivation, but the below-average students learn little besides passing exams and sitting for placements.

In preparing for final placements (all students are coached rigorously on enhancing their GD/PI skills by in-house experts), most below-average students (approximately more than 50%) secure employment from their respective colleges at low salaries, but find themselves incapable of continuing in their jobs and finally either quit or lose jobs and join the unemployed category.

This is the unfortunate outcome when merit (cutting-edge excellence) is blunted.

In a way, MBA Colleges under BPUT are contributing to the unemployment situation in India due to systemic aberrations.

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